Having helped the Pharaohs revive their Afcon ambitions with wins over the Hawks, the Aston Villa man has set his sight on the competition’s top prize
Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan claims Egypt’s ambition is to emerge as champions of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Cameroon.
The Aston Villa winger found the net as the Pharaohs recorded a 3-1 win over the Hawks on Tuesday – a result which saw them complete a double over Claude Le Roy’s men as well as overtake Comoros as Group G leaders.
Before facing Togo, the North Africans were third on the log having accrued just two points following consecutive draws against Kenya and Comoros. Now, Hossam El Badry’s men need just a win in their last two games to guarantee their place in the African football showpiece.
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Speaking to media after their victory at Lome’s Stade de Kegue, the 26-year-old, who now boast of seven international goals, disclosed that his team is already looking beyond the qualifiers, insisting the Afcon diadem is their main priority.
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“Our goal is not only to qualify for the tournament, but to win the title to make the Egyptian people happy,” said Trezeguet per Kingfut.
“Every match we give everything we have on the field to win, despite the difficult circumstances.
“We performed better in this game than the previous one, and God willing, the performances will continue to improve with time and matches.”
El Badry’s side head to Kasarani’s Moi International Sports Centre for a date with the Harambee Stars in their next outing on March 22, 2021.
Egypt won the competition for a record seventh time at Angola 2010 – defeating Ghana 1-0 in a keenly contested final played at the Estadio 11 de Novembro, Luanda.
After winning the competition in 2006 and 2010, the North Africans have struggled to impress in the tournament since then. Despite hosting the 2019 edition, they were kicked out in the Round of 16 by South Africa.
Thembinkosi Lorch’s 85th-minute strike saw them bow out at the Cairo International Stadium.
The 33rd edition of the biennial tournament was due to begin in Cameroon on January 9, 2021, but has now been pushed back to January 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across the continent.
